His Wicked Seduction (11 page)

“The Midnight Gardens are renowned for secrecy,” Emily said. “Everyone seeks it and so nobody listens upon another’s private matters.

Horatia pursed her lips a moment. “There is another possibility. Maybe they wanted to be overheard?”

“But why?” Audrey asked. “What advantage would that give them? We know Cedric is in danger now and we can protect him.”

Horatia met Emily’s gaze, reading the other woman’s thoughts. “Audrey, remember when Cedric took you shooting once? He had a groundskeeper swat at the underbrush to shake the pheasants out of their hiding places. Perhaps they are shaking the bushes and waiting for them all to fly out.”

Audrey paled. “Oh dear, then that would mean he has some plan in place and likely knows how Cedric and the other men will react.”

“Exactly,” Emily said. “Since they will not recognize the trap, nor will they know how to escape it even if we warn them, it may be left up to us to protect them from themselves.”

For a long moment none of the ladies spoke as they contemplated the dangerous task ahead.

“You really are in love with Lucien?” Emily asked, mercifully changing the subject.

The rush of heat to Horatia’s face betrayed any denials she might have made. “I am. It’s a stupid, foolish thing to love someone like him, but I can’t help it.”

Emily laughed, the sound delicate, but her eyes were sharp. “I fell in love with Godric the same way. I was convinced the entire time it was bound to end in disaster and heartbreak, yet it didn’t.”

Biting her lower lip, Horatia considered this. “Godric loves you, though. Lucien doesn’t love me. I think he doesn’t even really like me at all.”

Emily snorted, though not inelegantly. “I think there’s a fair chance he may fall in love with you. I have learned a few things about these men. Lucien wouldn’t have kissed you if he hadn’t wanted to. Not only that, but I’ve seen signs of possessiveness and jealousy where you’re concerned, not disgust.”

Horatia’s heart fluttered in excitement though she tried to hide it. “You have?”

“Oh yes. He glowers at any man who kisses your hand, and always escorts you into dinner whenever we dine together.”

They were fair points, but they didn’t exactly prove Lucien’s undying love.

“Now, let’s return to this assassination business. We know Waverly wants the League dead, and it seems now they mean to start with your brother. I’m sure Lucien was upset.”

“I don’t know that it was Waverly,” Horatia said. “Lucien said he recognized the voice, but didn’t say whose it was.”

“Waverly is the only man I know that seems to come up in their conversations when they speak of enemies,” Emily said.

“No wonder they sent us upstairs,” Horatia mused. “No doubt those foolish men are making plans to go to war and want to keep us out of harm’s way. It is a thoughtful gesture.”

“Thoughtful?” Audrey objected. “They want to ruin our fun.”

“I’d hardly call such a threat fun,” said Emily. “But keeping us out, no matter how well intended, is a mistake.”

“Well, we ought to formulate our own plan then,” Horatia declared. “We are capable of far more than they give us credit.” If her brother’s life really was in danger, she wasn’t about to let the men handle it alone. She would protect her brother on her terms.

“That is an excellent idea!” Audrey jumped to her feet as though they were planning a party.

Emily was already deep in thought. “It is. But first, I’d like to know why Cedric was trying to do away with Charles. This is the worst possible time for the League to be divided, and I can’t help but remember our last conversation, Audrey.”

Audrey flushed. “I…I know you said you would talk to Ashton about Jonathan, but I was having trouble waiting.”

A laugh escaped from Horatia. “You always were too impulsive.”

Emily pursed her lips as if bracing herself for disaster. “Audrey, what exactly did you do?”

“I convinced Charles to help me.”

Horatia narrowed her eyes. “Help you
how
?”

“He may have introduced me to the finer points of kissing,” Audrey confessed.

“Audrey!” Horatia gasped. Would her sister never learn that actions had consequences? Admittedly she wasn’t one to talk, given her own night’s events, but she knew Lucien would never be forced to marry her. Audrey and Charles might end up engaged if Audrey wasn’t more careful.

“It was an intriguing experience, given that I have no real attraction to Charles.”

“Audrey, you didn’t let him kiss you?” Emily pressed. No wonder Cedric had been murderous. “I warned you about—”

“Nothing happened, except that I kissed him. He didn’t even kiss me back. To get this way—” she gestured to her disheveled appearance “—he fixed my clothes and hair and told me to bite my lips a bit. I wanted Cedric to think that I’d been compromised. I’d hoped he might allow me to marry Jonathan instead…”

Horatia sucked in a breath at her sister’s brash behavior.
Am I the only sane Sheridan in the family?
As soon as the question passed her mind she stifled a groan of embarrassment. She was no better than Audrey, really.

“And he did it to help you?” Emily sounded dubious.

“Oh yes.” Audrey nodded. “But he took some convincing. He was quite angry with me, especially after I accosted him in his own drawing room. The poor man hid behind a couch to escape me.”

It was simply too amusing an image, Charles scrambling over furniture to escape the kisses of a pretty debutante. Horatia had to bite down on her fist to still her urge to laugh outright.

Emily was not so restrained. “I would have given the world to see that!” she said, gasping for air, laughing.

Horatia was wiping tears from her eyes. Audrey was back to her old self, imitating Charles’s fall off the couch when she’d kissed him. She made a theatrical squawk and toppled to the floor with a thud. By now Horatia was laughing so hard she could scarcely breathe.

One floor below, Lucien and the other members of the League gazed up at the drawing room’s ceiling. Arms crossed over his chest, he raised a brow as they listened to the strange noises from above.

There was a loud shriek, a thud, and hoots of unrestrained laughter.

“What the deuce is going on up there?” Charles asked.

“Probably jumping on the beds,” Cedric grumbled.

“They’re no longer children,” said Lucien. “Someone should tell them.”

“Do you suppose it was wise to leave them alone up there?” Godric asked. His head was tilted like a dog hearing strange sounds.

“They’re fine.” Now that he’d caught them up on more relevant events, Lucien had to bring them back to the point of the meeting. Lives were in danger. “Now, what are we going to do about this threat?”

“Waverly won’t succeed,” Cedric said with confidence. “We can defend ourselves.”

“Nevertheless,” said Godric, “it would be unwise if one of us wasn’t keeping an eye on you and your sisters. Even if Waverly intends to kill you, they might get harmed in the crossfire.”

“I don’t intend to let them leave the house,” said Cedric. “If they absolutely must, they’ll have an escort.”

“We mustn’t forget how easily the defenses here were breached in the fall,” Ashton reminded the others. “That was a close call with the man who stole Emily. This is a house, not a fortress.”

Lucien vowed never to feel that helpless protecting Horatia.

But Cedric could not be pulled so easily from his previous source of rage. “Before we discuss Horatia, I need to defend Audrey from that damned bloody cur,” Cedric shot a finger at Charles, “who seduced her in a bloody coach!”

“I did not seduce her, Cedric.” Charles raised his hands in defense in case Cedric lunged at him again. “I warned you she ought to marry soon. You’re lucky she came to me first. Another man might have actually taken advantage of her.”

“Are you saying you didn’t touch her?” Cedric demanded.

“Touch? Yes, but I didn’t kiss her. She asked for my assistance to make her look compromised.”

“Look compromised? You
bastard
!” Cedric looked ready to go after Charles again. “Women have been ruined for such a thing as a lustful glance, and you go and muss up my sister? What if word got out to the Quizzing Glass of her appearance? Then she would never find a suitor.”

Ashton stepped between the two of them, throwing up a hand to prevent Cedric from advancing.

“Come now, gentlemen.” Ashton’s steely tone stopped the two men. “Do we need to solve this in a ring?”

“I wouldn’t recommend that,” Godric said with a wry grin. “But if it does come to it, I’ll stake ten pounds on Charles.”

Both Cedric and Charles shared cautious looks with one another before declining, perhaps in part because none of the others would take that bet. Ashton dropped his hand when he seemed satisfied that Cedric would not resume trying to kill Charles. Lucien gave a sigh of relief. He had no desire to jump between his friends. Charles was a champion boxer and Lucien didn’t want a blackened eye simply because he’d try to impose peace. If Ashton wished to risk his face, that was entirely up to him.

Jonathan, who had lingered at the edge of the group, suddenly spoke up. “Is this how all of your League meetings go? Perhaps we might focus ourselves back on the real problem and the importance of protecting the ladies.”

Ashton turned to Cedric, his voice hard. “Quite right, Jonathan. Back to the matter at hand. I think it would be best, Cedric, if you take Horatia and Audrey away from London, at least until the rest of us sort this out.”

“You want me to turn tail and run?” Cedric looked shocked and outraged at the very idea.

“You know I would never ask that of you.” Ashton’s voice was softer now. “But for your sisters’ sake, yes. You’d grab them and run to the ends of the earth if it would protect them. We all know this.”

The fierce resistance in Cedric wavered against the persuasive power of Ashton’s reasonable request.

Cedric slumped. “Where would you have me go then?”

Godric chimed in. “Some place Waverly would not immediately think to look for you.”

Lucien’s heartbeat kicked up as he realized the perfect place to keep Horatia safe. “How about my estate in Kent? You could take your sisters there and stay until the New Year. My mother is in residence along with Lysandra and Linus, so you’d be properly entertained.” He didn’t need to add that, should Hugo’s men make discreet enquiries as to where they might have gone, Lucien’s estate would be the last name on their lists.

Getting the Sheridan sisters out of London seemed like a very good plan. Anything to get them out of the line of danger, and Horatia away from him. Two birds with one stone, so they say.

“That’s an excellent idea,” Ashton agreed. “The rest of us can remain here and attempt to sort this mess out. Lucien, you’ll accompany Cedric and his sisters, of course.”

“What?” Lucien sputtered. That was the worst idea in the history of the world. Put
him
in his estate with Horatia where he knew every nook and cranny he could secret her away to? Damnation! “I could be of more use dealing with Hugo’s men,” he countered.

“It is your estate,” Ashton reminded him in a firm tone. “And you were also the first one targeted in these attacks. You will escort Cedric and his sisters. Hopefully this issue will be resolved before Christmas. If not, then you will be with your family for the holidays.”

That did not make the situation any more appealing. Lucien fought the urge to stamp his feet like a boy in a temper tantrum. Jonathan shared a sympathetic look with him, as though he seemed to know just what being around Horatia would do to him. Was that how Jonathan felt around Audrey; did he have an interest in the younger Sheridan woman, the way she did in him?

Here he was trying to do the decent thing and stay away from temptation, and Ashton was practically handing Horatia to him on a silver platter. He needed her to be safe—not just from the Waverly but from himself. Having her so close to his bed at home was the opposite of safe.

What other choice did he have though?

“Fine,” Lucien said with poor grace. “I will go with Cedric.”

He didn’t want to spend hours in a coach with Horatia, and he certainly did not want to be stuck at his estate with her over the holidays. It was worse knowing that his mother would be there. She had an irritating way of meddling in his affairs, and he feared she would interfere with Horatia. His mother had a soft spot for the Sheridans, Horatia in particular. Letting his mother near Horatia would be more trouble than he wanted to deal with.

“When should we leave?” Cedric asked Ashton.

“As soon as possible. Do you think your sisters could be ready by first light?”

Cedric barked out a harsh laugh. “First light tomorrow? Absolutely not. You must at least give Audrey a day to pack or the little devil will harass me about it all the way to Kent.”

“A day then, but I want the lot of you packed and in your carriages before the sun rises.” Ashton was deadly serious. “Godric and I will go tomorrow morning to the Midnight Garden and see if we can’t catch the two men from last night at their arranged time. I’d like to see for myself if there is any proof it was Waverly. We need to know what we’re up against.”

“Now that’s all settled,” Cedric growled, “would all of you mind getting the hell out of my house?”

“Capital idea,” Godric said. His eyes then drifted to the ceiling.

“It’s awfully quiet up there,” Jonathan observed.

“Too quiet,” Lucien agreed. Suddenly anxious, the six men proceeded out of the drawing room and up the stairs towards Horatia’s room. The door was still locked. Lucien leaned against the wood and listened. Not a sound came from within.

Chapter Ten

“Do you hear them?” Charles asked.

Cedric held a finger to his lips.

Lucien strained to hear even the smallest rustle or creak, but heard nothing. Cautiously, Cedric unlocked and opened the door. The bedchamber was empty. The windows were closed and latched and there was no sign of the women.

“Ash?” Godric said in a low whisper. Ashton nodded and proceeded inside, his sharp gaze leaving nothing unseen. There was no evidence the women had hidden themselves. No sign of hasty departure. They had simply vanished.

“Where the bloody hell is my wife?” Godric yelled into the aether.

As if in response, a footman came up the stairs and handed Cedric a slip of paper. Dumbfounded, Cedric opened it and read it aloud.

My Dear Gentlemen,

We await you in the dining room. Please do not join us until you have decided upon a course of action regarding the threat to Lord Sheridan. We will be more than delighted to offer our opinions on the matter, but in truth, we suspect you do not wish to hear our thoughts. It is a failing of the male species, and we shan’t hold it against you. In the future, however, it would be advisable not to lock us in a room. We simply cannot resist a challenge, something you should have learned by now. Intelligent women are not to be trifled with.

Fondest Regards,

~The Society of Rebellious Ladies~

“Fondest regards?” Lucien scoffed.

A puzzled Jonathan added, “Society of Rebellious Ladies?”

“Lord help us!” Ashton groaned as he ran a hand through his hair. “They’ve named themselves.”

“I’ll wager a hundred pounds that Emily’s behind this. Having a laugh at our expense,” Charles said in all seriousness.

“Let’s go and see how rebellious they are when we’re done with them.” Cedric rolled up the sleeves of his white lawn shirt as he and the others stalked down the stairs to the dining room. They found it empty. The footman reappeared and Cedric wondered if perhaps the man had never left. At the servant’s polite cough he handed Cedric a second note.

“Another damn note? What are they playing at?” He practically tore the paper in half while opening it. Again he read it aloud.

Did you honestly believe we’d display our cunning in so simple a fashion? Surely you underestimated us. It is quite unfair of you to assume we could not baffle you for at least a few minutes. Perhaps you should look for us in the place where we ought to have been and not the place you put us.

Best Wishes,

~The Society of Rebellious Ladies~

“I am going to kill her,” Cedric said. It didn’t seem to matter which of the three rebellious ladies he meant.

The League of Rogues headed back to the drawing room. Cedric flung the door open. Emily was sitting before the fire, an embroidery frame raised as she pricked the cloth with a fine pointed needle. Audrey was perusing one of her many fashion magazines, eyes fixed on the illustrated plates, oblivious to any disruption.

Horatia had positioned herself on the window seat near a candle, so she could read her novel. Even at this distance Lucien could see the title,
Lady Eustace and the Merry Marquess
, the novel he’d purchased for her last Christmas. For some reason, the idea she would mock him with his own gift was damned funny. He had the sudden urge to laugh, especially when he saw a soft blush work its way up through her. He’d picked that particular book just to shock her, knowing it was quite explicit in parts since he’d read it himself the previous year.

“Ahem,” Cedric cleared his throat. Three sets of feminine eyes fixed on him, each reflecting only mild curiosity.

Emily smiled. “Oh there you are.”

“Are you finished with your little meeting?” Audrey asked, setting down her magazine and smiling up at her brother.

The way she’d said “little meeting” left Lucien with no doubt they were having fun at their expense, or perhaps it was her biting her bottom lip to prevent her laughter that gave her away. Regardless, Cedric’s sisters had challenged the men and they were in no mood to play games. Especially Cedric.

“You.” Cedric pointed to Audrey. “Bed, now!” His accusing finger then swept towards Emily. “Since when do you embroider? I distinctly recall you telling me once that such a thing was a complete and utter waste of time.”

“Considering your rather callous behavior tonight in leaving us out of your decisions, I decided to renew the rather useless habit,” Emily replied as though speaking of the weather. She politely held up the embroidery hoop, which was festooned with flowers around a simple phrase every single man in the room could read,
Never Challenge a Woman
. Lucien could only imagine how she must have embroidered that in so short a time.

“We left you out of it because this matter doesn’t concern any of you ladies. Besides, it is a delicate and dangerous situation,” Cedric said.

“Hmm,” Emily responded, the feminine sound came out strangely condescending. “Perhaps we ladies are keeping you out of a dangerous situation and haven’t bothered to inform you of our intentions. If you insist on keeping us in the dark, we will persist in our efforts to keep all of you alive regardless of your belief that we are incapable females.”

Godric frowned. “No one said you were incapable. You know we don’t think that, Emily.”

Horatia came to Emily’s defense. “She’s right. You keep secrets from us that will only divide us and put us all at risk. You will explain yourself, Cedric. I will not leave this house until you tell me what you and the others have planned.”

“Fine, tomorrow morning, I’ll tell you, but not tonight. It’s late and everyone needs their rest,” her brother shot back.

“Nonsense, you can tell us right now,” Emily insisted.

“Godric, collect your wife and take her home before I use her as a pincushion,” Cedric threatened.

Godric, who tried to hide an appreciative smirk, seemed to find his wife’s besting of the men most amusing. At Cedric’s impatient tone, however, he jumped into action.

“Come along, Em. I believe you’ve made your point for now.” He picked up the embroidered frame and tossed it on a nearby empty chair. He then wrapped an arm about her waist to pull her to him, planting a kiss on her brow.

“You wouldn’t let him use me as pincushion would you, darling?” she asked, twining her arm through his after he released her.

“Never, my dear. He’s just annoyed that he can’t figure how you got out of Horatia’s room when he locked you in, or come here undetected.”

Emily cast an arrogant glance at Cedric’s direction. “And he never will.”

“But you’ll tell me, won’t you?” Godric looked down at his wife in adoration.

“Perhaps, if you entice me enough.”

“Are you asking me to seduce you?”

“What else would I be asking?” Emily laughed.

“Oh for the love of all that is holy! Take her away Godric,” Cedric pleaded. Shows of such tender teasing always seemed to distress him.

“He’s right, Emily, we ought to go home.” He tucked her into his side as he escorted her from the room.

“I should be going as well.” Ashton bowed to the others and departed in Godric and Emily’s wake.

“Jonathan, would you be so kind as to return Audrey upstairs? She seems not to have heard me when I told her to go to bed,” Cedric said.

Jonathan tried to argue. “Under the circumstances, tonight I would prefer not to, what with your reaction to Charles—”

“Unlike Charles, you have a sense of honor. I trust you enough to escort her upstairs.”

Charles and Lucien watched the scene unfold with no small amount of amusement. Cedric seemed oblivious to the position he was putting Jonathan in. Lucien opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it when he noticed Cedric’s scowl.

“And you!” Cedric finally turned his wrath to Horatia but found himself unable to do anything with it. “Well, er, I’ll get back to you.” He turned to Charles and without warning, punched him square in the eye.

“That is for compromising my sister, you scoundrel. I hope it blackens well and warns women against straying from their moral compasses in your presence, at least for a sennight.”

Charles groaned and clutched his face. “I was helping Audrey. If you don’t understand that, then I will take my leave and see you again when your temper has cooled.” He mockingly bowed to them and departed. Without another word Cedric left the drawing room, slamming the door behind him.

Audrey watched the two remaining men, Lucien and Jonathan, as they stood at the opposite end of the drawing room. Jonathan eyed Audrey with hesitation, then looked to Lucien, who shrugged indifferently. She bit her lip, trying not to smile. Watching him squirm was more than a little amusing.

“Miss Audrey, would you please accompany me upstairs? I should like to—” but Audrey cut him off.

“No, I don’t think I shall,” she declared. All of the men had been so boorish this evening she wasn’t about to give ground, not even for him.

She reached for her fashion magazine again. Jonathan’s eyes narrowed. She feigned a yawn, noting the way his nostrils flared and his fists clenched. There was a wicked pleasure to be found in getting under his skin. She knew he only wanted to cement his role in the League and she was making that difficult.

“She needs a firm hand, Jonathan. Show her who’s in charge,” Lucien encouraged as he leaned back against the wall, grinning.

Jonathan grimaced and walked over to Audrey’s chair.

“Miss Audrey.” This time his tone was clearly a warning. “You will come with me at once.”

With a lift of her chin, Audrey declared war. “You wouldn’t
dare
touch me, not after what my brother did to Charles.” Secretly she hoped he would be daring enough. The thrill of making him work for her attention left her heart beating madly.

“Audrey, don’t encourage him,” Horatia cut in. Clearly she saw the storm brewing. Her sister abandoned her book and made to stand, but Lucien pushed away from the wall, blocking her. Horatia dropped back down into her seat as she met Audrey’s gaze and gave a warning shake of her head.

“I would dare to touch you, and more, you rebellious little chit,” Jonathan said. Before she had time to properly react, he scooped her up into his arms.

She kicked and squirmed. He was ruining the way she’d planned their encounter. It wasn’t supposed to go this way. She wanted to be seduced! When her struggles proved futile, she retaliated in a way that worked against small children and unruly pets.

She rolled her magazine into a tube and started whacking him over the head while screaming, “Have at it, you fiend!” Despite the assault, Jonathan never flinched, even when she walloped him soundly between the eyes.

He glared down at her with such a level of irritation that sparks seemed to fly. “Fiend, am I?”

Jonathan marched out of the room with her in his arms and carried her up the stairs. When he reached her bedroom, he nearly kicked the door down. Audrey abandoned the magazine and resumed her struggles.

Lord he is strong,
she thought with a sudden pang of desire. Being overwhelmed like this was something she hadn’t counted on, nor had she expected to enjoy it so much. Perhaps there was something to be said about being manhandled. What if he lost control of himself and ripped her clothes off? She gasped at the dizzy excitement that overtook her.

He started towards her bed, and suddenly she was airborne. The horrid man had thrown her! She hit the mattress with a startled squeak and rolled right off the other side, landing on the floor with a painful thud.

“Ouch!” she gasped, her left hip smarting. She’d fallen to the floor twice already, a third time was not helping. She tried to get up and a small whimper escaped her lips. No doubt she’d bruised something this time. In an instant Jonathan was there, taking her once more into his arms and setting her more gently back down on her rose-colored bedspread.

“I’m so sorry, Miss Audrey. I got carried away, I didn’t mean to…”A heavy blush of mortification spread across Jonathan’s face. A lock of his sandy blond hair fell across his forehead and Audrey reached up to brush it back. He flinched from her touch, but Audrey was too entranced by the closeness of his lips.

Those countless conversations she’d had with some of the more open maids hadn’t been forgotten. They’d enlightened her to many of the secret intimacies between a man and a woman. The way tongues could touch, the way a man’s body would harden, even how a man and woman could kiss each other below the waist to increase pleasure. Audrey had absorbed their tales with fascination, and the hunger for her own experiences had only grown stronger.

But it wasn’t until she’d met with Evangeline Mirabeau that she’d learned more specifically how to entice a man to bed her. The ways to coax him to respond, to lure him with lust…

Like a starving woman eyeing a plate of food, she curled her fingers into his cravat and tugged down. His startled mouth collided with hers and she licked the seam of his mouth with her tongue, trying to get him to part his lips. He resisted only a moment before he groaned against her and mounted her on the bed. His hands pushed her dress up past her knees and she spread her legs open beneath him.

He knew how to kiss and she was learning quickly. His lips and tongue danced feverishly against hers with a wild abandon she’d only dreamt about before.

“You taste so sweet,” he said as he trailed kisses along her jaw towards her ear.

Audrey was caught in a thunderstorm of panic, pleasure and fascination all coursing through her body at once. More, she needed more now! She released his cravat and slid her hands down his neck, across his shoulders and under his waistcoat, then began to peel it off his shoulders. Never stopping in his kiss, he threw the jacket off and pinned her beneath him again.

One of his calloused palms stroked her thigh, a worker’s hands she realized, and for some reason that pleased her. He did not merely exist, he lived, and that set fire to her blood and filled her with a strange recklessness. She wanted to be with him, to live the way he did, and experience things with him. This was no idle gentleman, but a man who earned his living, just as she wished to earn hers.